Press Releases: Attack on Voter Registration Center in Kabul


Press Statement

John J. Sullivan

Acting Secretary of State

Washington, DC

April 22, 2018


On behalf of the U.S. government, I strongly condemn today’s suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul that killed approximately 60 people and wounded over 100 others. I extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims who have suffered an immeasurable loss. This senseless violence targeting innocent civilians exercising their fundamental democratic rights exposes the savagery and inhumanity of terrorists.

The United States, along with our Afghan and international partners are committed to destroying ISIS in Afghanistan, which has claimed responsibility for this vicious attack. We stand with the people and government of Afghanistan in their fight against terrorism.

The United States reaffirms our support for the Afghan government, Afghan security forces, and the Independent Electoral Commission in their efforts to ensure that the elections process is transparent, credible, and safe. We remain committed to supporting the Afghan people’s efforts to achieve peace, security, and democracy for their country.






Press Releases: Call for Calm in Nicaragua


Press Statement

Heather Nauert

Department Spokesperson

Washington, DC

April 22, 2018


The United States government regrets the loss of life and injuries suffered in Nicaragua during protests by its citizens. We condemn the violence and the excessive force used by police and others against civilians who are exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression and assembly.

The United States calls for a broad‎-based dialogue involving all sectors o‎f society to resolve the current conflict, restore respect for human rights, and achieve a better, more democratic future for all Nicaraguans.

We also call on the Nicaraguan government to allow journalists to operate freely and restore all television coverage to the air. Additionally, we urge the government to allow an independent investigation and to prosecute those responsible for the deaths.






Press Releases: Acting Secretary Sullivan’s Meeting With U.K. Foreign Secretary Johnson


Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

April 22, 2018


The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met with UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on April 22, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Toronto, Canada, where they discussed issues of bilateral, regional, and global concern, including Syria, Iran, and the DPRK.

Acting Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Secretary Johnson agreed to continue working to end the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons.‎






Press Releases: Background Briefing Previewing Acting Secretary Sullivan’s Trip to the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Toronto


Special Briefing

Senior Administration Official

Toronto, Canada

April 22, 2018


MODERATOR: [Senior Administration Official] has got a couple of minutes just to give you a little background today.

QUESTION: Oh, terrific. Well, what’s on the agenda?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: What’s on the agenda? Well, the G-7 always has an ambitious agenda, and a comprehensive global agenda. And a lot of the priority topics for us today include discussing the way forward in Syria, the – Iran’s malign activities in the region as well as Iran’s nuclear and missile program. We’ll be discussing North Korea and its nuclear program. I would say, broadly, nonproliferation will be a thematic today in our discussions. We will be discussing maritime security, the importance of freedom of navigation.

QUESTION: Talking South China Sea or —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, just South China Sea and just generally securing the global commons for trade and commerce. And we’ll also be discussing the free and open Indo-Pacific and the importance of that. We’ll be discussing also the way forward in Ukraine. Venezuela we will also be discussing, and Burma.

So this is just probably a fraction of what we’ll end up discussing today, and I’ll be able to give a little more detail at the end of the day.

QUESTION: That would be helpful.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: This is —

QUESTION: As (inaudible) the topics, did you see Zarif’s comments the last two days on if the deal isn’t signed – this morning he was about – he was saying it was —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Which one, the supplemental agreement? When you say the deal isn’t —

QUESTION: He just said – I don’t know.

QUESTION: The original one. The original one.

QUESTION: The original deal.

QUESTION: If the U.S. —

QUESTION: The original one. If the original is abrogated, yeah.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Abrogated? Oh.

QUESTION: Yeah, if the U.S. walks away from it, they are going to resume —

QUESTION: He said it would send a very dangerous message.

QUESTION: — and he said they’re going to resume nuclear production.

QUESTION: Resuming is one of the options, is what he said.

QUESTION: Yeah.

QUESTION: But faster.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: And so what’s the question? It’s all very interesting.

QUESTION: Does that change anything that you’re discussing today? I mean, are you – let’s – what kinds of discussions are you going to have on Iran with the rest of the G7? Specifically, do you want to close – can you close further gaps in your discussions so far?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We will be discussing the status of the negotiations with the E3 on securing a supplemental agreement to the JCPOA. The President has given until May 12th as the deadline to see if we can secure a supplemental agreement, and so we’ll be discussing the status of those negotiations today with the G7, and then we’ll also be – yeah, I’ll leave it at that.

QUESTION: How advanced are these?

MODERATOR: You all, you guys have to get on the vans. I don’t want you to be late. This will be the last one.

QUESTION: Those negotiations, how advanced are they?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We’ve been negotiating with the Europeans since January, with the E3, and we have made a great deal of progress, but it is – we’re not there yet.

QUESTION: Really?

QUESTION: You still don’t know?

MODERATOR: Guys, we’ve got to go.

QUESTION: Real quick, though. OPCW inspectors got into Douma. Are you concerned that everything, all the evidence has evaporated and that they won’t be able to find anything at this late date?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I would – I’d have to talk to the technical folks on that as well. That’s a technical question and I’d need to —

QUESTION: Okay.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Okay? All right.

QUESTION: Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So see you at the end of the day.






Press Releases: Acting Secretary Sullivan’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Klimkin


Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

April 21, 2018


The following is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on April 21, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Toronto, Canada.

The Acting Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He urged Ukraine to redouble reform efforts and adhere to IMF programs by adopting legislation to establish a truly independent anti-corruption court and raising gas tariffs to import parity levels.

Acting Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Klimkin called on Russia to finally fulfill its commitments under the Minsk agreements and end its occupation of Crimea.